Chapter 2, Red Bead (Part 2)
The little maid recited dryly: "Long embrace, stirring spring"
Wen Yu clearly appeared to be unwell, leaning most of his body against the arms of the maid supporting him. He trembled with each cough, his face devoid of any smile, and softly inquired, "If you have any important matters, feel free to speak to me."
Hong Zhu was taken aback and said with embarrassment, "Oh, I actually... I even forgot the day of Your Highness's ascension to the throne."
Hong Zhu was taken aback, "What happened?"
Bold and shameless servant, still not giving up, how dare you come to the Qingzhang Hall to cause a disturbance
Liang Yu's cheeks puffed up in annoyance, and he said: "I knew that Brother Hu has a deep prejudice against this palace. Despite me calling you Brother Hu so many times, you still remain so unreasonable."
A young girl slowly walked out, her complexion pale and her lips devoid of color, yet her celestial beauty could not be concealed. On her forehead, there was a small blue phoenix pattern, and when her pair of misty eyes glanced over, they carried a gentle yet distant loneliness. Even though Hongzhu was an exquisite beauty, she stood there in a daze, feeling inferior. The maidservants all greeted her: "Miss Wenyu."
Several maids were taken aback, and Liu Shang let out a cold snort: "Sisters, do not listen to her nonsense; who knows what she is plotting! She is capable of injuring her own forehead to deceive His Highness into healing her, and you still believe in the ghost stories of the Xian Tai?"
He extended two fingers to pinch the paper and nodded at her, saying, "There is no need to worry. However, the procedure still needs to be followed, please bear with it." Before his words had faded, a flash of white light appeared, and he instantly moved outside the door, revealing his true form as he soared through the clouds, leaving behind only a swaying tiger tail, which soon vanished from sight.
That is the birth of a new star
Only the cool jade asked in her ear: "After ascending, he will not remember the matters of the human realm, nor will he remember you. Decades of companionship, exchanged for an uncertain future of millions of years, are you willing?" Hongzhu choked back tears and nodded vigorously: "Hongzhu is willing to accept it as sweet as honey."
So this is the warm jade that Liang Yuning refused to hand over even at the cost of her life
The visitor spoke in a gentle tone, with a smile in their eyes, clearly not conducting a serious inquiry, but rather offering comfort. Hongzhu's red lips trembled, and her large, watery eyes were filled with tears, making her somewhat incoherent: "No, no! He, he is just a mortal..."
She ran too quickly, breathing heavily, her tone tinged with a slight tremor: "Wasn't it my sister who was on duty, responsible for watching over the two stones, Changxie and Dongchun?"
Red Pearl immediately knelt down: "Little Immortal Water Fairy Palace Red Pearl, once again seeks an audience with Your Highness"
Xiao Ruan paced back and forth at the door, and upon seeing Hong Zhu return, her expression was peculiar: "Sister... have you reported it?"
* * * *
Qiu Hu's usually resolute and dark face unexpectedly showed a look of hesitation. After a long while, he finally said: "Your Highness, please return. The young master is unwell and has already rested."
Hong Zhu focused her gaze and hurriedly wiped away her tears as she stood up, only to find that it was the majestic white tiger steed of the Red Spirit God, which had rarely transformed into human form.
Liang Yu glanced back a couple of times and, with a playful smile, said: "Just a quick visit and then I'll go back. I didn't bring anyone with me today, so no one will know."
Xiao Ruan sighed: "In fact... Your Highness is already doing very well..."
Hong Yu was stunned by the dramatic ups and downs, filled with doubts as she flew up to Wangxian Terrace. Indeed, she saw two stones perfectly placed there at a glance. As she approached, she noticed that they were naturally formed, enveloped in a thick layer of celestial energy, appearing unbroken. After examining them for a long time, Hong Zhu suddenly discovered a small crack near the bottom of Dongchun.
Twists and turns of the peaks, great joy and great sorrow
The delicate lashes of Liang Yu fluttered gently, resembling the fragile wings of a butterfly. She curved her lips, a faint blush appearing on her fair face: "Hmm"
Qiu Hu usually refused with a stern face, unyielding and impartial, requiring her to act cute and throw a tantrum until Ji Beichen inside could no longer bear it and came out to put an end to it. Today, however, Qiu Hu's expression was rather strange; he did not wear a stern face to intimidate her, but instead patiently advised, "It is getting late, Your Highness, you should return soon."
An older maid, her face pale with anger, said: "Why didn't you follow the proper protocol to report this? Hurry up, stop causing a commotion here"
The sound of the red beads echoed in her ears, filling her heart with gratitude, and she bowed deeply: "I humbly follow Your Highness's teachings"
With a smile at the corner of his mouth, he lowered his voice and said, "What do you think you are? Always thinking about climbing up!"
The Long Xiang is condensed from sword energy, and Dong Chun is created from the fragrance of flowers. In the realm of flowers, no one wields a sword, except for the God of Hundred Flowers, who possesses the Zhi Hua Rong sword. The place where the fragrance of flowers is most intense is also the residence of the Flower God, the Qing Zhang Hall. Now, with the Long Xiang and Dong Chun behaving unusually, could it be that something has happened to Liang Yu?
Liang Yu's eyes held a faint sense of confusion, "Why?"
A delicate foot, adorned with embroidered shoes featuring a brocade cloud pattern, stepped out from within the door. The layers of moon-white gauze garments, woven from flowing clouds, were sheer and ethereal, further accentuating the otherworldly nature of its owner
Xiao Ruan left as if fleeing. Hong Zhu raised her eyes, wanting to keep her, opened her mouth, but tears streamed down her face, and she forcefully threw the fan beside her away
To the south of Qingzhang Hall lies the Nine-Bend Immortal Lake, to the west is the Jin Jun Mansion of Ji Beichen, who was forcibly relocated, to the east is the Liu Xiang Pavilion of the beauty Wen Yu, and not far to the north is the Zhi Fan Sea where Si Ju resides
Such days are merely a formality, and she does not care much about them
Hong Zhu stumbled to the door, leaning against the wooden door, only to see the eastern sky filled with rosy clouds, resplendent and magnificent
The maids looked bewildered, glancing at each other in confusion
What does it mean! After a long while without a response, Linglong raised her head and saw him open his eyes. "Long Xiang, Dong Chun." He repeated it once, calculated with his fingers, and after a long time, his face showed a look of confusion, which soon turned into unease
The girl's black hair cascaded down to her ankles, with strands of silver light shimmering among the tresses, as she gazed upward, intently observing the flowers on the branches
Xiao Ruan rubbed her eyes, feeling both confused and guilty: "I... I returned to Wangxian Terrace, and the two spiritual stones, Changxie and Dongchun, were neatly placed there. The sky was perfectly normal. Just now, I... I can't have been dreaming, can I?"
The woman named Liu Shang, dressed in a maid's attire, glared down at her: "It was merely an ice shard, placed there to startle you. You deliberately ran into it and then gossiped recklessly in front of His Highness, resulting in my punishment of serving as a lowly maid for three hundred years. Now you are here pretending to be weak, how disgusting!"
Linglong, please summon the Haotian Tower
The man had his hair unbound, wearing only a single garment, draped in a brocade robe embroidered with golden threads. His long fingers held a wine vessel as he leaned against the stone platform, sipping lightly. The cave was cold and damp, and his complexion was pale from years of being deprived of sunlight. Linglong slipped in, feigning mystery: "Divine Lord, I found a note at the cave entrance!"
Although Liang Yu has received the flower seal from her predecessor, the Flower Goddess Qian Xiu, and the Huarong Sword, overseeing the flower realm with its numerous fairy inhabitants totaling ninety-three thousand, and managing the cyclical blooming of flowers in the mortal world for two hundred and fifty years, she has not yet performed the ceremonial rites for the destined position of Flower Master due to her young age. Now, at five hundred and fifty years old, which translates to fifteen years in human terms, the Heavenly Palace has calculated the date for her succession, which is set for three days from now
The young man in white nodded and smiled: "Understood." He then approached her and handed her a fan, which suddenly transformed into a piece of rice paper, densely filled with tiny, intricate characters. Hongzhu instinctively looked up at him, and the young man took her hand, pressing his thumb onto the signature area, leaving a bright red fingerprint.
Because having one day makes one desire ten days, having ten days makes one long for countless years, to see him every day, and to never worry about separation each day
Just as I had written four characters, I suddenly heard a cheerful voice behind me, "Sister, the new Star Lord has ascended to the heavens, it's quite impressive! Shall we go take a look?"
Two lines of tears slid down the red beads: "Your Highness is also unwilling to help me"
Hong Zhu raised her head and said: "Decades of happiness, compared to my millions of years of lifespan, feel more like a form of torment. Rather than losing him forever, it is better to take this risk and start over from the beginning"
Hong Zhu heard someone knocking urgently at the door while inside the house. Upon opening the door, she saw that it was Xiao Ruan, who was drenched in sweat.
Her heart trembled heavily, and she was instantly overwhelmed with joy, causing her to leave a blot of ink on the paper. She casually crumpled the half-written note and tucked it into her sleeve, her mind entirely occupied with Tan Lang, momentarily forgetting everything else. She thought that the matter had already been reported to Wen Yu, and thus she hurriedly got up and left. In high spirits, she soared over Sang Qiu, unaware that the crumpled paper had slipped out of her sleeve.
Several celestial maidens exchanged glances: "Your Highness is not present"
The red pearl came from the north, first rushing towards the office of the Minister of Rites. Upon reaching the entrance, it was blocked. The maid at the door said that the Minister had just returned from outside and had been knocked down by a crazed raccoon, falling into the Nine-Bend Immortal Pool
The red pearl bowed and said, "The situation is urgent, and there may be unforeseen changes. Do you ladies know where His Highness is at this moment?"
Hong Zhu sat on the soft couch, her gaze blankly fixed ahead. The golden chrysanthemum fairy, Xiao Ruan, waved her hand in front of her, expressing concern: "Sister, are you alright?"
Liang Yu covered her wrist, her steps unceasing, as she hurriedly entered the Qingzhang Hall, her skirt billowing in the wind. She paid no heed to the varied expressions of the maidservants and, while walking, urgently inquired: "But who has touched the Huarong Sword?"
The young man in white closed his fan, tapped it against his palm, and said with a smile: "The deity sent me to inquire whether you have contributed to the cultivation of Jin Xing Tan"
A tremor ran through Hongzhu's heart, and a wave of guilt surged over her. Her knees weakened: "Hongzhu is in the wrong... I do not dare to ask for Your Highness's forgiveness."
Liang Yu supported Wen Yu with one hand, her wide sleeves sliding down to her elbows. She suddenly caught a glimpse of the calmness of the bracelet on her wrist, which showed no signs of abnormality, as if it had just been her own illusion.
* * * *
The fan fell to the ground with a thud, yet it compelled someone to bend down and pick it up
As Hongzhu had just left, Liangyu arrived right after, suddenly appearing and startling Liushang into an exclamation.
The man curled his lips, a smile that was not quite a smile: "Recite it for me to hear."
Hong Zhu felt a tightening in her heart
Xiao Ruan saw that there was indeed a dark aura appearing between her brows, and she was so frightened that she shivered: "You should not be on duty today, I will take your place, you... you should rest well."
She pulled his hand and unceremoniously placed the spiritual root grass into his palm. Just as she was about to say something, the delicate and intricate floral bracelet on her wrist suddenly flashed urgently, the scorching heat causing her pain.
Hong Zhu immediately felt a sense of relief and hurriedly said: "Miss Wen Yu, today at the hour of Shen, the Watchtower of Immortals suddenly collapsed with a loud rumble, and the sky changed color. Therefore, I have come to report this news."
Hong Zhu suddenly thought of the much-discussed Bei Chen Jun, and rather than confronting it directly, she felt that the other party had become more approachable, infused with a touch of warmth. She was moved and asked, "So, Your Highness is willing to help Hong Zhu fulfill her wish?"
At present, everyone in the realm of flowers is busy preparing for the ceremony of succession to the Flower Deity, getting ready to welcome the new year. With layers of communication, fearing that time may not permit, Hongzhu becomes increasingly anxious, disregarding her grooming and heading straight to the Qingzhang Hall.
Liang Yu reached out to help her up and gently asked, "Does Hong Zhu really, really like that Tan Lang?"
Qiu Hu did not extend his hand, but merely looked at her and suddenly said, "Your Highness, why must it be this way?"
Just as I was about to turn around, the door of the Liuxiang Pavilion, adjacent to the Qingzhang Hall, suddenly opened, and a cold voice came from within: "What is the cause of such a commotion?"
A few maidservants beside her whispered to each other, and one of them chimed in, "I heard that His Highness has punished you with three days of house arrest. How did you manage to sneak out? Hurry back, or you might face further punishment"
Liang Yu turned around, her eyes filled with a smile: "The snake fruit flowers here are blooming beautifully." Today, she did not wear a star crown, and only adorned her head with two small green calyxes, appearing delicate and slender, which gave Hong Zhu a slight illusion, as if she were an innocent younger sister from some family.
Liang Yu was greatly alarmed and called out twice, "Wen Yu." Wen Yu's eyelashes fluttered slightly, but she was too weak to respond. She looked around anxiously and said, "What happened? Wasn't it arranged for Wen Yu to stay at the Cangjian Pavilion? Who could have hurt her like this?"
She leaned against the door frame and slumped down. Once her emotions calmed somewhat, she finally noticed a figure in plain white standing under the snake fruit tree not far away
Hong Zhu suddenly raised her head to look at her, her eyes clearly filled with hatred: "Yes, she is very good, it is I who do not know how to be grateful, taking advantage of every opportunity." The resentment that had been suppressed for too long erupted recently, and her mind became increasingly unstable, "If I had known it would be so suffocating, I might as well have fallen into the realm of immortals earlier, living freely in the demon palace!"
Fortunately, Wen Yu has come out
"Today I am on duty for my sister. During the hour of Shen, there was a loud rumbling sound, and after a moment, the spring also shattered, the sky displayed unusual colors..." A look of panic and fear appeared in her eyes, "I have never seen such a situation, so I came to ask my sister."
Hong Yu sat down and drank an entire cup of tea in one go, then replied: "I have reported it, what is the matter?"
A sharp rebuke cut through the air, and Hong Zhu looked up in surprise: "Liu Shang... why are you dressed like this?"
Linglong deliberately cleared her throat, opened the paper ball, and immediately deflated: "What is this, only four characters, with no beginning and no end!"
Madam Chonghua has retreated into seclusion, while Yulang resides in the heavenly palace. Even Siju cannot make decisions in this matter. With beads of sweat covering her forehead, Hongzhu has no choice but to brace herself and head to the Qingzhang Hall
Your Highness! Hongzhu hurriedly said, "When it comes to snake fruit trees, there are none better in the entire flower realm than these few at the Narcissus Palace. Since Your Highness enjoys eating snake fruit, why not come to Hongzhu in three days to taste the first batch of fresh fruit?" Liangyu's eyes suddenly brightened, and just as she was about to agree, she regretfully said, "I fear that will not be possible, as the day after tomorrow is the ceremony for my succession."
She seems determined to go against Hongzhu: "Don't think that everyone else is a fool. Today, it is Xiao Ruan guarding Wangxian Terrace, not you. What exactly are you plotting by wanting to see His Highness so badly?"
The Yulang family, led by Siju, has spent many years in the warm chamber managing the classics, naturally fearing the cold. The waters of the Nine Curves Pool are extremely frigid, and although Siju immediately sealed his divine consciousness, he still suffered injuries. Before losing consciousness, he was concerned about the imminent ascension of the Flower Goddess, instructing his maidservants to remain silent. At this moment, he lies in the room, unconscious.
Liang Yu was taken aback: "Not feeling well?" She lowered her eyes and pondered for a moment, "Could it be that he crossed the Floating Life Bridge behind my back yesterday and walked all the way to the Great Stone Creek in the east, exhausting himself and catching a chill?" Her face showed guilt as she took out two Spirit Root Herbs from her bosom, infused them with thirty percent of her spiritual energy, and handed them to Qiu Hu, "It is all my fault. I knew he was weak, yet I still played in the water with him—Brother Hu, please take this to him."
The Flower Goddess has turned away: "This temple has departed."
She could not help but soften her tone, holding back the tears of excitement in her eyes, and replied in a gentle voice: "Yes, Your Highness, if we count the days, the fruit will be ready in three days."
In Liang Yu's eyes, there seemed to be a flicker of emotion as she waved her sleeve to dismiss the illusion, her tone carrying a hint of helplessness: "Can the red pearl see what is recorded on the Asking Heaven Mirror? Your sandalwood gentleman is the one destined by heaven. Although we are fortunate to be among the celestial ranks, we cannot act recklessly; ultimately, we still have to rely on the heavenly way. This time, what you wished for is not something you cried for, nor something this palace sought after, but rather something that was picked up by chance."
She walked over hesitantly
Liang Yu waved her sleeve, and a phantom of a bronze mirror engraved with the five directional divine birds appeared in the air, rippling like water. Gradually, some names shimmering with golden light emerged on its surface. Hong Zhu read through the lines, becoming somewhat dazed.
Everyone in the flower world knows that Wen Yu and Liang Yu are like sisters. Miss Wen Yu is knowledgeable in astronomy and geography, and excels in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting. Although her own health is poor, she is extremely kind and gentle towards others, earning the admiration and respect of nearly everyone.
Wen Yu's expression was serious: "You should return first. When she comes back, I will definitely inform her of this matter and advise her to be more cautious."
She gently traced the barely noticeable fine line with her hand, thought for a moment, and conjured up paper and pen to write down the small characters: "Long Xiang, Dong Chun ... ... "
The red pearl, anxious, repeatedly bowed and said: "There is something unusual at the Wangxian Terrace, I have come specifically to report!"
Suddenly, a few exclamations came from not far away: "Miss Wen Yu!" Liang Yu was startled and saw Wen Yu lying on the ground. She helped Wen Yu up and noticed that there was not a trace of color on her face, indicating severe internal injuries. After struggling for a while, she could no longer endure and spat out blood.
* * * *
Hong Zhu trembled with anger, her lips quivering as she said: "Liu Shang, if something happens, you... I... I will go back and report immediately"
Hong Zhu furrowed her brows
Liang Yu's heart was churning with thoughts of the red beads, and before she knew it, she had strolled to the Jin Jun residence. The guard, Qiu Hu, stood at the entrance and, upon seeing her, had a somewhat strange expression. As usual, she took a few steps closer to him and looked up with a cheerful smile, saying: "I would like to see Lord Beichen, could you please relay my request?"
At that time, holding the Huarong Sword, performing the sacrificial rites to the heavens, and receiving the three bolts of heavenly thunder, Liangyu will officially become the Flower Goddess recorded in the celestial realm
Wen Yu listened quietly, and when she heard the sound of the long sigh and the stirring of spring, her expression suddenly changed, and she began to cough. She closed her eyes and extended her hand to calculate, and after a long while, she let out a breath: "At this moment, Liang Yu is indeed not in any trouble." Hong Zhu also breathed a sigh of relief, her body drenched in cold sweat
She secretly calculated that on the way back, she would inevitably pass by Qingwa Cave, and at that time, she could first seek out that loose immortal. Regarding Liangyu, even if no one else believed it, he would definitely believe it, and moreover, he would go to great lengths to see it through to the end.
Hong Zhu's body trembled slightly, her eyes shimmering with light, involuntarily revealing a contradictory expression interwoven with happiness and sorrow: "When I lose, I feel utterly despondent; when I gain, I cannot help but feel overjoyed." Raising her eyes, she saw the gaze directed at her, those bright black eyes filled with both affection and envy, and she could not help but blurt out, "Your Highness, do you also have someone you deeply care for?"
He raised an eyebrow nonchalantly and asked, "Which four characters?"
At the entrance of the Qingzhang Hall stood several maidservants. As she stepped forward, she was immediately stopped by someone: "Who dares to intrude upon the Qingzhang Hall?"